Baccarin Earns First-Ever MTV Movie Awards Nominations

Morena Baccarin has a (Dead)pool of reasons to celebrate…

The 36-year-old Brazilian-American actress has earned her first ever MTV Movie Awards nominations for playing Ryan Reynolds’ love interest in Deadpool.

Morena Baccarin in Deadpool

The former Homeland star is nominated for Best Female Performance, where she’ll face stiff competition from Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina), Anna Kendrick (Pitch Perfect 2), Charlize Theron (Mad Max: Fury Road), Daisy Ridley (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) and Jennifer Lawrence (Joy).

Baccarin and Reynolds are also nominated in the Best Kiss category.

The awards show will be hosted by Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart on Sunday, April 10.

Here are this year’s MTV Movie Awards nominees:

MOVIE OF THE YEAR

  • Avengers: Age of Ultron
  • Creed
  • Deadpool
  • Jurassic World
  • Star Wars: The Force Awakens
  • Straight Outta Compton

TRUE STORY

  • Concussion
  • Joy
  • Steve Jobs
  • Straight Outta Compton
  • The Big Short
  • The Revenant

DOCUMENTARY

  • Amy
  • Cartel Land
  • He Named Me Malala
  • The Hunting Ground
  • The Wolfpack
  • What Happened, Miss Simone?

BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE

  • Alicia Vikander – Ex Machina
  • Anna Kendrick – Pitch Perfect 2
  • Charlize Theron – Mad Max: Fury Road
  • Daisy Ridley – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
  • Jennifer Lawrence – Joy
  • Morena Baccarin – Deadpool

BEST MALE PERFORMANCE

  • Chris Pratt – Jurassic World
  • Leonardo DiCaprio – The Revenant
  • Matt Damon – The Martian
  • Michael B. Jordan – Creed
  • Ryan Reynolds – Deadpool
  • Will Smith – Concussion

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE

  • Amy Schumer – Trainwreck
  • Brie Larson – Room
  • Daisy Ridley – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
  • Dakota Johnson – Fifty Shades of Grey
  • John Boyega – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
  • O’Shea Jackson Jr. – Straight Outta Compton

BEST COMEDIC PERFORMANCE

  • Amy Schumer – Trainwreck
  • Kevin Hart – Ride Along 2
  • Melissa McCarthy – Spy
  • Rebel Wilson – Pitch Perfect 2
  • Ryan Reynolds – Deadpool
  • Will Ferrell – Get Hard

BEST ACTION PERFORMANCE

  • Chris Pratt – Jurassic World
  • Dwayne Johnson – San Andreas
  • Jennifer Lawrence – The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2
  • John Boyega – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
  • Ryan Reynolds – Deadpool
  • Vin Diesel – Furious 7

BEST HERO

  • Charlize Theron – Mad Max: Fury Road
  • Chris Evans – Avengers: Age of Ultron
  • Daisy Ridley – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
  • Dwayne Johnson – San Andreas
  • Jennifer Lawrence – The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2
  • Paul Rudd – Ant-Man

BEST VILLAIN

  • Adam Driver – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
  • Ed Skrein – Deadpool
  • Hugh Keays-Byrne – Mad Max: Fury Road
  • James Spader – Avengers: Age of Ultron
  • Samuel L. Jackson – Kingsman: The Secret Service
  • Tom Hardy – The Revenant

BEST VIRTUAL PERFORMANCE

  • Amy Poehler – Inside Out
  • Andy Serkis – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
  • Jack Black – Kung Fu Panda 3
  • James Spader – Avengers: Age of Ultron
  • Lupita Nyong’o – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
  • Seth MacFarlane – Ted 2

ENSEMBLE CAST

  • Avengers: Age of Ultron
  • Furious 7
  • Pitch Perfect 2
  • Star Wars: The Force Awakens
  • The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2
  • Trainwreck

BEST KISS

  • Amy Schumer & Bill Hader – Trainwreck
  • Dakota Johnson & Jamie Dornan – Fifty Shades of Grey
  • Leslie Mann & Chris Hemsworth – Vacation
  • Margot Robbie & Will Smith – Focus
  • Morena Baccarin & Ryan Reynolds – Deadpool
  • Rebel Wilson & Adam DeVine – Pitch Perfect 2

BEST FIGHT

  • Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) vs. Ajax (Ed Skrein) – Deadpool
  • Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) vs. The Bear – The Revenant
  • Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) vs. Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) – Mad Max: Fury Road
  • Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) vs. Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) – Avengers: Age of Ultron
  • Rey (Daisy Ridley) vs. Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
  • Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy) vs. Lia (Nargis Fakhri) – Spy

Trailer Released for Plaza’s Comedy “Mike & Dave Need Wedding Dates”

Aubrey Plaza con’t lose…

The latest trailer has been released for Mike & Dave Need Wedding Dates, the comedy starring the 31-uear-old half-Puerto Rican actress, Adam Devine, Zac Efron and Anna Kendrick.

Mike & Dave Need Wedding Dates

The film centers on the Stangle brothers Mike (DeVine) and Dave (Efron), who frequently ruin family events with their dangerous antics. In order to prevent them from ruining their sister’s upcoming wedding in Hawaii, their parents mandate that they attend the wedding with dates. Their appearance on The Wendy Williams Show to advertise themselves catches the attention of Tatiana (Plaza) and Alice (Kendrick). After pretending to be civilized and respectable, Tatiana and Alice secure Mike and Dave as their respective dates. However, when they get to Hawaii, Mike and Dave find that their dates are much more wild and unhinged than they anticipated.

Jake Szymanski directs the film from a script by the Neighbors duo of Andrew Jay Cohen and Brendan O’Brien.

The film from 20th Century Fox opens in theaters on July 8.

Hayek to Be Feted at Variety’s Power of Women Luncheon

Salma Hayek has the power…

The 49-year-old Mexican actress and film producer will be honored at Variety’s Power of Women as a Lifetime Impact Honoree at an October 9 luncheon that celebrates the entertainment industry’s most philanthropic and inspiring women.

Salma Hayek

Hayek will be feted alongside other honorees Anna Kendrick, Gwyneth Paltrow, Oprah Winfrey and Susan Wojcicki at the event, which will be held at the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons will celebrate the entertainment industry’s most philanthropic and inspiring women.

“The women we are honoring this year are the perfect embodiment of the Power of Women initiative,” said Michelle Sobrino-Stearns, Variety’s publisher. “We salute Salma Hayek Pinault, Anna Kendrick, Gwyneth Paltrow, Oprah Winfrey and YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki for their incredible philanthropic work and their personal commitment to fostering change. We look forward to collaborating once more with our dynamic partner Lifetime who has been a real force alongside Variety in championing the efforts of our esteemed honorees.”

Hayek is being recognized for her humanitarian efforts with Chime for Change.

Variety’s Power of Women event is tied to its annual Women’s Impact Report, which profiles the women making the most significant impact on the entertainment industry. Each of the honorees will be featured on the cover of Variety’s Women’s Impact issue on October 6.

Plaza to Star in the Comedy “Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates”

It’s wedding bells for Aubrey Plaza

The 30-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress/comedian will star in the Fox comedy Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates.

Aubrey Plaza

Toplined by Plaza, Zac Efron, Adam Devine and Anna Kendrick, the film revolves around two hard-partying and immature brothers who place an online ad to find plus-ones for a wedding, finding dates who out-party and out-immature them.

The film, which begins shooting this summer in Hawaii, will be directed by Jake Szymanski. The script was written by Andrew Cohen and Brendan Obrien.

Trailer Released for Plaza’s Zombie-Themed Comedy “Life After Beth”

Aubrey Plaza is a dead girl(friend) walking

The first trailer for Life After Beth has been released, starring the 30-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress/comedian as a zombie girlfriend.

Life After Beth

Dane DeHaan stars as a teen named Zach, who is heartbroken when his girlfriend Beth (portrayed by Plaza) unexpectedly dies. He gets a second chance to do what he wants when Beth is resurrected using the Old Testament.

Things don’t quite work the way he wants it, as evidenced in the trailer, which shows Beth and Zach dealing with the fact that she;s a zombie and looking less human each time. She destroys a lifeguard tower and even devours a man.

“What do you want from me Zach, I’m a zombie!” Beth yells.

Directed by Jeff Baena, Life After Beth also stars John C. Reilly, Molly Shannon, Anna Kendrick and Matthew Gray Gubler.

The comedy premieres on DirecTV on July 17 and will get a limited theatrical release starting August 15.

The film will also hit NEXT Fest, which takes place in Los Angeles from August 7-10.

Cabezas to Direct Sam Rockwell and Anna Kendrick in “Mr. Right”

Paco Cabezas has found his Mr. Right

The Spanish filmmaker will direct Sam Rockwell and Anna Kendrick in the film Mr. Right.

Paco Cabezas

Kendrick will portray a woman whose bad luck streak at finding true love seems to come to a successful end when she meets Mr. Right. That’s until she discovers he’s a reformed hit man. When his dark past catches up with him, their fledgling relationship is tested as they try to save one another.

Shooting on Mr. Right, which was written by Chronicle scribe Max Landis, is set to begin this fall.

Cabezas earned critical acclaim for directing 2013’s Tokarev.

Plaza Shooting Next Film “Life After Beth” in Los Angeles

Death becomes Aubrey Plaza

The 29-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress is starring in Life After Beth, which has begun filming in Los Angeles.

Aubrey Plaza

The directorial debut from Jeff Baena, who penned the script for I Heart Huckabees, centers on a guy mourning the death of his girlfriend (portrayed by Plaza). But when Beth comes back to life, he tries to live their relationship to the fullest — until things take a turn for the worse.

In addition to the Parks and Recreation star with the dry sense of humor, the film will star Anna Kendrick, Molly Shannon and Cheryl Hines.

Saldaña to Announce This Season’s Spirit Award Nominees

“And the nominees are…” That’s a line Zoë Saldaña will be repeating several times in the near future…

The 34-year-old half-Puerto Rican & half-Dominican American actress, who was recently named to Vogue’s 2012 Best Dressed list, will be announcing the nominees for the 2013 Spirit Awards on Tuesday, November 27.

Zoe Saldana

Saldaña will be joined by Anna Kendrick and Common at the special nominee announcement event at the W Hollywood.

“Anna, Zoe and Common have become an integral part of the Film Independent family and we are honored to have them join us for this big moment to announce and celebrate the best independent artists of the year,” said Film Independent’s Sean McManus.

Categories for the Spirit Awards include Best Feature, Best First Feature, Best First Screenplay, Best Director, Best Screenplay, John Cassavetes Award (given to the best feature made for a budget under $500,000), Best Male Lead, Best Female Lead, Best Supporting Male, Best Supporting Female, Best Cinematography, Best International Film, Best Documentary and the Robert Altman Award.

In addition, there will be special Filmmaker Grants prizes that include the Someone to Watch Award, Stella Artois Truer Than Fiction Award, Piaget Producers Award and the Jameson FIND Your Audience Award.

Winners of the awards will be revealed on February 23 next year at a ceremony in Santa Monica that will air later that evening at 10 P.M. ET/PT on IFC.

Saldana, who has previously served as a presenter at past Spirit Awards events, will next appear in the highly-anticipated film Star Trek Into Darkness.

Peña’s Arresting New Trailer for “End of Watch” Released

It’s the end of watch for Michael Peña… And now you’re invited to go along for the ride.

The latest trailer for End of Watch shines a spotlight on the bromance between the 36-year-old Mexican American actor and his co-star Jake Gyllenhaal. 

Michael Peña

The just released clip is packed with violent scenes featuring Peña and Gyllenhaal as their characters, young police officers Zavala and Taylor, patrol the mean streets of Los Angeles, as well as scenes of the duo discussing the importance of having a family.

End Of Watch is a powerful story of family, friendship, love, honor and courage. , Together, Zavala and Taylor patrol the streets of south central LA. Giving the story a gripping, first-person immediacy, the action unfolds through footage from the handheld HD cameras used by the police officers, gang members and citizens caught in the crossfire. Together they create a riveting portrait of the city’s most dangerous neighborhoods, the cops who risk their lives there every day and the price they and their families are forced to pay.

Anna Kendrick, America Ferrera, Natalie Martinez, Cody Horn and Frank Grillo round out the ensemble cast.

The R-rated film, directed and written by David Ayer, is slated for a September 21 release.

Pena Going on Patrol in “End of Watch”

Michael Pena will be going on patrol this fall…

The 36-year-old Mexican American actor will be starring opposite Jake Gyllenhaal in the dramatic film End of Watch.

End of Watch

Gyllenhaal plays Officer Taylor, a Los Angeles cop who patrols the toughest parts of the city with his partner, Officer Zavala, played by Pena. They’re described as young, brash and really good at their jobs, which leads to a certain ego-driven bravery that leads them into a gang den — and into the center of its bulls eye.

Written and directed by David Ayers, the movie isn’t just a cop film; it also focuses on both Gyllenhaal and Pena’s young families. Anna Kendrick plays Gyllenhaal’s wife, while America Ferrara and Cody Horn play officers as well.\

Pena, who will be playing labor leader Cesar Chavez in his next project, is best known for his roles in Crash, World Trade Center, Observe and Report and Tower Heist.

End of Watch film opens in theaters on September 28.